Memory Maps

Citylore

We collaborated with Nancy Nowacek to create a storytelling system that captures personal geographies and the city's vibrant living culture.

Overview

Memory Maps was a system of enormous borough maps of New York City that allowed visitors to share their stories of the city by pinning vellum sheets to specific locations. Shown initially at the 2001 Smithsonian Folk Life Festival, the written stories from this installation were archived and enhanced with curated stories to create cityofmemory.org, a living archive of personal geographies.